For fans of the cultural and performing arts in Wilmington, once you get past March, 2020 was an ugly year. Sure, there were a bunch of drive-in movies and concerts, a couple of musicals held on the steps outside of Thalian Hall, and a fair number of art exhibitions that were either socially distanced or held outdoors. But for the most part, when it comes to the arts, the coronavirus pandemic took away everything most people regarded as normal. At present a return to "the way things were" seems uncertain at best. At the time this story was written in November, a great deal remained unknown about what would, could, might and might not happen in 2021 in terms of arts and events. That said, we can't help but hope.